The Best

[Bill Pierce]

I clearly am becoming grouchy in my old age. With the new year approaching, there have been a number of articles on the internet along the line of “BEST NEW CAMERAS OF 2020” or “BEST NEW PHOTOGRAPHY PRODUCTS OF ANY KIND IN 2020.” And yet, I haven’t seen any new gear that is going to make a truly big improvement or change in my work. Improvement, yes; big improvement, no (and that includes my obsession with camera bags and processing programs).

I thought about the Sony a7R IV with its 61 MP sensor. It certainly contributes to the quality of large or cropped images, but, like the slow films or large formats of film, it has to be matched with a photographic technique that also preserves fine detail. It’s a camera, not a miracle. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that almost all improved gear is going to demand an improved photographer. And I realized there is one piece of gear from this year that I use all the time, and it makes no demands on me. Its is a Tap & Dye wrist strap. Tap & Dye, based in Brooklyn, is small producer of very well made leather goods including camera straps and wrist straps. Like most of us, I’m often not a fan of the straps that come with the cameras I buy. Every single small, carry around camera that I own now has a Tap & Dye wrist strap - and that’s after using a number of other brands. Slowly the bigger cameras are getting conventional straps from them. And neither the wrist or neck straps demand that I improve my strap wearing technique. They accept me as I am. Here is their website. https://www.tapanddye.com

Now, what is your BEST NEW PHOTOGRAPHY PRODUCTS OF ANY KIND IN 2020? Do they have a website?

 

[hap]

I clearly am becoming grouchy in my old age. With the new year approaching, there have been a number of articles on the internet along the line of “BEST NEW CAMERAS OF 2020” or “BEST NEW PHOTOGRAPHY PRODUCTS OF ANY KIND IN 2020.” And yet, I haven’t seen any new gear that is going to make a truly big improvement or change in my work. Improvement, yes; big improvement, no (and that includes my obsession with camera bags and processing programs).

I thought about the Sony a7R IV with its 61 MP sensor. It certainly contributes to the quality of large or cropped images, but, like the slow films or large formats of film, it has to be matched with a photographic technique that also preserves fine detail. It’s a camera, not a miracle. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that almost all improved gear is going to demand an improved photographer. And I realized there is one piece of gear from this year that I use all the time, and it makes no demands on me. Its is a Tap & Dye wrist strap. Tap & Dye, based in Brooklyn, is small producer of very well made leather goods including camera straps and wrist straps. Like most of us, I’m often not a fan of the straps that come with the cameras I buy. Every single small, carry around camera that I own now has a Tap & Dye wrist strap - and that’s after using a number of other brands. Slowly the bigger cameras are getting conventional straps from them. And neither the wrist or neck straps demand that I improve my strap wearing technique. They accept me as I am. Here is their website. https://www.tapanddye.com

Now, what is your BEST NEW PHOTOGRAPHY PRODUCTS OF ANY KIND IN 2020? Do they have a website?

You prefer key rings or loops?

 

[jsrockit]

I'm with you, my best new photography products for 2020 were not lenses or cameras... it was additions to my photobook library.

 

[zuiko85]

An outfit called Hobbylinc, it is where I ordered all my hobby plywood for making photography related things and homemade cameras.
That and a Porter Cable router my uncle gave me. Didn’t know how handy they are for camera DIY folks until I had one.

 

[markjwyatt]

The Best Photo Product for 2020 may be a new film: Adox CMS 100 II. I do not know yet, because I am shooting my first roll. But more choices of film is always good. I do not recall if any other new films were introduced this year (or even existing film types in new formats).

http://www.adox.de/Photo/adox-films-2/adox-chs-100-type-ii/

 

[charjohncarter]

My 'new' DSLR, I can't remember when I bought it; I don't use it that much. But it has WiFi something I don't understand, GPS something I understand but don't want to read the manual about it, astrotracking ??, pixel shift something I've tried but probably will never get to a final print, and then all the other things of the wheel that used to be a shutter speed wheel (including HD video which I doubt I'll ever use) so in one word to you Bill: yes, I will not HAVE to buy a new product in 2021.

Edit: if my Bessa R fails, I'll buy another one.

 

[farlymac]

That's interesting, I happened to buy a wriststrap this year too, Bill. It's from Blackrapid, very strong, has a quick release, and they make a wide array of camera straps for most every need. https://www.blackrapid.com/


PF

 

[Ronald M]

I am for simplicity. Leica M + 50 mm

DSLR = Nikon set to M on the dial and it does everything

Have a M6 I bought when they first came out. Guaranteed less then 50 rolls through it. Used same lenses as M10.

SLR = Nikon F2. They are cheap now and I have 6. Also all the finders. Lenses 18 to 300 + leica 400 & 560 with adapter.

 

[Doug]

Well, I'm clearly a slacker when it comes to supporting the economy. I bought some significant photo items in 2017 and 2018 but I have too much stuff and probably not enough talent. And I did not make any photo-related purchases in 2019 or 2020.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

The new cheap lenses coming out of China are pretty cool. I bought the 7Artisans 35/1.2 and the 25/1.8 for use on my Fuji cameras. Initial results are quite nice. Tiny, manual focus. Excellent products that, by all accounts, are getting better with each new model.

 

[PaulDalex]

The same here, Bill.
I haven't seen any breakthrough innovation to convince me to spend, adding more to the too many cameras and lens I have.
As to straps, for me it is a must that they cannot scratch the camera or lens in any way. For this reason I use mainly Luigi's, or DIY straps made of leather only. No plastic no metal at all.

 

[Out to Lunch]

If I can find one in stock with a reputable dealer in Saigon, I will buy it in the coming days: the Fuji XF 90mm f/2 LM WR. All-metal build; weather-resistant; fast and accurate auto-focus. It will fit perfectly on my Fuji X-H1. Cheers, OtL

 

[icebear]

...
like the slow films or large formats of film, it has to be matched with a photographic technique that also preserves fine detail. It’s a camera, not a miracle. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that almost all improved gear is going to demand an improved photographer. ...

Hi Bill,
this is key, as always. The photographer has to put in the effort to utilize the capabilities of the current gear to the fullest. And it's a long way until the equipment becomes the limiting factor in achieving better images.

A lowly 18mp MM is plenty enough in my book. I will never be able to exceed what I can capture with this tool.
Everything else the greatest, best, New photo gear of 20xx is just marketing BS.
And it gets reset every year/season to zero and starts all over to get into your wallet 🙄.

All the best for a peaceful and healthy 2021 with plenty of light.
Cheers

 

[Dogman]

New products 2020? Geez, I dunno. Somewhere along the line I just quit paying much attention. I bought a good bit of gear in 2020 but all of it was older, used stuff or it was new stuff that has been around for years. Maybe I'm jaded. As icebear points out, marketing can do that to you. Or maybe it's COVID. Or Trump. Anyway, I got nothin'.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

https://www.laowalenses.ca/product/10mm-f2-zero-d-mft/

Came to the light recently. Not expensive, not slow, not huge UWA lens.

Getting compact is big for me in 2020. I'm trying to getting less heavy this year.
Myself and gear. Got tiny Canon RP. And like even smaller E-PL1.

 

[Nitroplait]

Nothing really new on the photographic front, except the realization that my actions and purchases can make a difference.
This year made me realize that anything from China would be supporting a dictatorship and authoritarian regime that has been allowed to exist and evolve even before the massacre on Tiananmen Square.
No more anything “Made in China” and no more support of the suppression of Tibet, Hong Kong, Taiwan and people fighting for free speech.

 

[JeffS7444]

My favorite of 2020 is Sony's NP-FZ100 battery as implemented in the A7R4, which lets me go for days of casual shooting without worry (the camera isn't bad either).
https://www.sony.com/electronics/interchangeable-lens-cameras-batteries-chargers/np-fz100

Then there's the Lightspectrum Pro Evo app for iPhone:
http://www.ampowersoftware.it/lightspectrum-pro/

And finally, this CFL from Adorama:
https://www.adorama.com/fpfb60.htm
It's huge, and I've had one die an early death, but it emits loads of quality light without the nasty green tinge so typical of 5000 degree Kelvin lighting from the hardware store.